This Jing video shows the document I will make available for students to reference when making their videos in Movie Maker.
Sample propaganda Movie Maker video.
Lesson Title:
Utopia vs. Dystopia
Subject Area:
English
Grade Level:
Tenth
Unit Title:
Themes in The Giver by Lois Lowry
HSCE:
CE 3.2.4 Respond by participating actively and appropriately in small and large group discussions about literature (e.g., posing questions, listening to others, contributing ideas, reflecting on and revising initial responses). CE 3.2.5 Respond to literature in a variety of ways (e.g., dramatic interpretation, reader’s theatre, literature circles, illustration, writing in a character’s voice, engaging in social action, writing an analytic essay) providing examples of how texts affect their lives, connect them with the contemporary world, and communicate across time.
NETS-S:
2.a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media 2.b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats 2.d. Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems
Essential Questions:
What are the positive things about Jonas’ society? What are the negative things about Jonas’ society? Why do you consider these things negative/positive? Would you want to live in a community like the one depicted in the novel?
Objectives:
In groups, students will create a propaganda video on Movie Maker. In this video they must list at least five reasons they feel people should either come to or leave the society created by Lois Lowry in The Giver. The video must include at least five pictures and have music supporting their idea. Students may also choose to record themselves acting with a video camera instead of using pictures if they wish.
Tools and Resources:
The novel The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Internet
Movie Maker
Video camera (optional)
Reading Journal
Rationale:
This lesson encourages students to form a personal opinion about certain aspects of the novel being studied in class. Also, they will be able to use their own creativity and teamwork skills to create their video that displays this opinion.
Sequence of Activities:
Anticipatory Questions/Activity:
Students will be given 5 minutes to respond in their reading journals to the following prompt: Is Jonas’ society a place you would want to live? Why or why not?
Body of Lesson Plan: Segment #1
The teacher will refer back to the previous day’s Hotlist lesson. They will bring up the information on dystopian and utopian societies and emphasize the differences between the two. Students will be given a handout that has an explanation of their assignment, which is to create a propaganda video on Movie Maker that either encourages people to come to Jonas’ society or encourages people leave Jonas’ society. The handout will include a grading rubric and a document that explains how to use Movie Maker. Then, the teacher will show a sample video they have created. The rest of this class period will be for pre-writing and planning. The students will be given all of the next class period to complete their videos in the computer lab, and on the third day the class will share their videos.
Segment #2
Students will be put into groups and be assigned to either be for or against Jonas’ society. Then they will get into their groups and brainstorm for their video. The video requires five reasons someone should come to/leave Jonas’ society, five photos representing these reasons, and background music that goes along with their information. They will be required to turn in some form of pre-writing notes on day three of this lesson. Day two will be entirely for the students to complete their videos. Day three will be for students to share their videos with the class.
Segment #3
On day three, after all videos have been watched, students will be called on to answer the following questions: Would you describe Jonas’ society as better or worse than our own? Why or why not? Student may answer they feel it is better because everyone is equal. Do you think you could be happy if you lived in Jonas’ society? Why or why not? Student may answer ‘no’ because there is no love there. What are some of the things about Jonas’ society that you feel our society would benefit from? Student may answer that there is a place for everyone in Jonas’ society. What are things from our society that you feel Jonas’ society would benefit from? Student may answer Christmas or memories or love. Students will be able to respond to their peers’ answers in between questions.
Segment #4
Step 1: Students will be assigned groups and a stance. Step 2: Students will get into their groups and do some brainstorming and idea gathering, making notes along the way. Step 3: On the second day students will be taken to the computer lab and immediately get into their groups to work on their videos. Step 4: They will open Movie Maker and then search for photos that represent the reasons they have chosen for why people should leave/come to Jonas’ society. Step 5: Next, they will add captions to their photos that tell their reasons people should leave/come to Jonas’ society. Step 6: Students will find an appropriate song to add for background music. Step 7: Students will present their videos to the class on the third day.
Lesson Plan 1 RB
Lesson Plan 2 RB
Lesson Plan 3 RB
Lesson Plan 4 RB
Lesson Plan 5 RB
This Jing video shows the document I will make available for students to reference when making their videos in Movie Maker.
Sample propaganda Movie Maker video.
CE 3.2.5 Respond to literature in a variety of ways (e.g., dramatic interpretation, reader’s theatre, literature circles, illustration, writing in a character’s voice, engaging in social action, writing an analytic essay) providing examples of how texts affect their lives, connect them with the contemporary world, and communicate across time.
experts, or others employing a variety of digital
environments and media
2.b. Communicate information and ideas effectively
to multiple audiences using a variety of media
and formats
2.d. Contribute to project teams to produce original
works or solve problems
Segment #1
Would you describe Jonas’ society as better or worse than our own? Why or why not?
Student may answer they feel it is better because everyone is equal.
Do you think you could be happy if you lived in Jonas’ society?
Why or why not?
Student may answer ‘no’ because there is no love there.
What are some of the things about Jonas’ society that you feel our society would benefit from?
Student may answer that there is a place for everyone in Jonas’ society.
What are things from our society that you feel Jonas’ society would benefit from?
Student may answer Christmas or memories or love.
Students will be able to respond to their peers’ answers in between questions.
Step 2: Students will get into their groups and do some brainstorming and idea gathering, making notes along the way.
Step 3: On the second day students will be taken to the computer lab and immediately get into their groups to work on their videos.
Step 4: They will open Movie Maker and then search for photos that represent the reasons they have chosen for why people should leave/come to Jonas’ society.
Step 5: Next, they will add captions to their photos that tell their reasons people should leave/come to Jonas’ society.
Step 6: Students will find an appropriate song to add for background music.
Step 7: Students will present their videos to the class on the third day.